NEWS & REPORTS

Young Indigenous Writers and Artists Celebrated in National Contest

June 19, 2017

Historica Canada has announced the 2017 winners of the annual Indigenous Arts & Stories contest.

June 19, 2017 – Historica Canada has announced the 2017 winners of the annual Indigenous Arts & Stories contest. The contest is the largest art and writing contest for Indigenous youth in Canada, and provides a forum for Indigenous youth to explore their heritage, identity, and culture. Winners were selected from more than 550 submissions from across the country:

The junior and senior category winners will be honoured at the Governor General’s History Awards taking place in Ottawa in October. Emerging artist and writer categories (age 9-13) will be announced later this month.

“We have learned from this program that Indigenous youth have strong views and powerful stories to share,” said Anthony Wilson-Smith, President and CEO of Historica Canada. “Those stories are crucial to fostering intercultural understanding.”

The contest, now in its 13th year, has been known as Aboriginal Arts & Stories. Going forward, the program will be renamed Indigenous Arts & Stories to reflect the increasingly preferred way to refer to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people.

Indigenous Arts & Stories invites First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists (ages 9-29) to interpret an aspect of their culture and heritage through literary and visual arts for a chance to earn prizes and national recognition. A jury of accomplished Aboriginal authors, artists, and community leaders select the winning submissions.